Delhi, 30 August (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, embarked on a symbolic journey from Tokyo to Sendai via the iconic Shinkansen bullet train. This travel marked a continuation and deepening of the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit engagements, underscoring the robust strategic and economic ties between the two nations.

During the high-speed rail journey, PM Ishiba shared moments from inside the train, highlighting his presence alongside PM Modi, and both leaders observed the state-of-the-art ALFA-X train, receiving briefings from the chairman of East Japan Railway Company (JR East). This journey was more than a transit; it was a strong emblem of the technological partnership and shared innovation ethos that defines India-Japan relations.

Upon arrival in Sendai, the location chosen for its symbolism of resilience and innovation in Miyagi Prefecture, PM Modi met Indian locomotive pilots undergoing training with Japanese Railways, reflecting the ongoing people-to-people exchanges and technical collaboration between the countries. The visit complemented extensive discussions held earlier in Tokyo, where the two leaders engaged with governors of 16 Japanese prefectures, promoting enhanced state-prefecture cooperation under the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership framework.

The trip forms part of a broader itinerary where PM Modi, after Japan, will proceed to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit. The India-Japan partnership during this visit reaffirms mutual commitments to peace, prosperity, and technological advancement, emphasizing clean energy, mobility, innovation, and regional security.

This bullet train journey to Sendai signifies more than speed; it marks a shared vision of connectivity, expedited progress, and a future-led collaboration between two dynamic democracies set on powering the technological revolution of this century.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar